Indeed, it's Packed with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Self-Help Jargon. However, I Honestly Cherish Meghan's Festive Episode.
No considering the season, it's constantly fair game for scrutiny on the Meghan Markle's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Reviewers, expert and amateur alike, have rarely been so united as when gleefully ripping the program's initial installments to shreds. The common opinion seemed to be a greater royal outrage had hardly ever taken place than the much-discussed pretzel-bagging incident.
Now, like a merry renegade master, she is back with a new offering with a "Festive Special" (also known as a yuletide episode). But this time, the dynamic has changed. The standard components we've come to expect – psychobabble word salads, extreme hosting – remain, but framed of a holiday show, the purpose becomes clear. The puzzle has come together; it's a perfect snow storm.
Now, Meghan is like the quirky relative at Christmas celebrations everywhere – dispensing random tips, and supplying the occasional strange exclamation. ("I love spinach!" … "A tradition has to have a beginning." … "A tree is part of my memory and love of the holiday season.") She's a bit of a character, but her presence is familiar and unexpectedly soothing. And she looks happy enough; she's inflicting any harm.
She knows her every micro expression, word and gaze will be analyzed and scrutinized, but manages to seem carefree and remarkably at ease.
Maybe this is the only time in history where that old chestnut – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – might be true. The reason is, let's face it, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels delightful. Admittedly, it's all awkwardly over-the-top, foolishness and flamboyant – but isn't that precisely what Yuletide is for? And the advice she gives might be ridiculous, but the life she leads genuinely looks beautifully curated.
Anything she sets her mind to, she accomplishes with flair. Her culinary efforts looks tasty, the holiday arrangement she crafts is breathtaking, her presents are nearly too beautiful to open. Nothing is mediocre or aesthetically displeasing – including the way she ties her kitchen garment is artful and chic. She doesn't toss a meal in the microwave, it "has a moment", and she creases wrapping paper like an craft master. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself from start to finish. How could any skeptical viewer not be won over, bursting with festive joy and left with a deep longing for crafted festive snaps or a vegetable display where broccoli is organized in the shape of a wreath?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, of course, but even so, after the degree of attention she has faced since she became involved with Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of two legendary actresses would struggle to act this genuinely. Her decision to modify or even soften her routine, despite it being so persistently, widely parodied, is oddly heartening. In our volatile world, here is one thing we can depend on: Meghan will stay true to form, come what may. We will consistently know what to expect with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of what she's selling, a thought that will undoubtedly come as a comfort: you aren't required to. The UK has abolished mandatory conscription anymore, and should it be reinstated, it would be doubtful to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you willingly check it out and are consumed by envy about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. Whether you're a duchess or a office worker, hardly any child truly appreciates the time and energy their mum does in the holiday season. So you can take heart by envisioning the young royals' faces when they reveal a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a DIY festive calendar, rather than a candy.
